Tampon



Oct. 26, 1937. J. MOVITTIE 2,097,033

TAMPON Filed Sept. 12, 1935 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 12, 1935, Serial No. 40,222 In Great Britain September 8, 1934 1 Claim.

The invention relates to tampons and pessaries employed for gynaecological, surgical, medical, and similar purposes.

According to my invention an appliance of this character particularly adapted to bring medicaments, dressings, antiseptic solutions, radium dressings, and the like into direct contact with the cervix and surrounding tissues and to collect secretions, discharges or blood from the uterus,

10 cervix, or surrounding tissues, has a body made of soft resilient material, for instance rubber, which conforms in contour to the vaginal canal, and more particularly to the upper part or vault of the vagina.

15 The body is hollow, and may be partitioned into a plurality of cells, one or more of which will receive a medium, such as a sponge, the exposed surface or surfaces of which when the tampon is in position, bring medicament carried by the medium into contact with the part to be treated and maintain it thereat.

The tampon is wedge shaped, its distal end being inclined at an angle whereby it accurately conforms to the anatomical configuration of the 25 upper part or vault of the vagina.

An important feature of my invention consists in the'provision of an integrally formed flexible handle by means of which the tampon may be folded into small compass for insertion and with- 30 drawal.

Embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section.

35 Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Fig. 4 is a vertical central section.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3.

40 As clearly shown in the drawing the tampon is wedge shape in longitudinal section and in cross section is generally circular, the distal end being inclined at an angle to closely contact with the organ to which the sponge or the like, is to 45 be presented.

The body I of the tampon has a partition 2 thereby dividing it into two cells, a proximal cell 3 and a distal cell 4 having respective openings 5 and 6 the latter receiving a sponge I which 50 is maintained in position by an integral inwardly projecting flange 8. For a similar purpose the opening 6 at the proximal end of the body has a On the upper part of flange 8, in the position indicated at i0, is a mark (the letter V being in this instance adopted as shown in Fig. 1) to indicate the locality about which the tampon can be readily collapsed into conical shape and also 5 to indicate how it should be held during its insertion.

A band ll of rubber is located in the proximal cell 3 and is connected at its respective ends to the upper and lower inner surfaces of the body of 10 the tampon. The band when in its normal position lies parallel with the face of the partition and when pulled out serves as a handle by which the tampon is withdrawn.

The band is bifurcated at its upper end the extremities of the bifurcation spaced apart so that when it is pulled by a finger of the operator it is caused to fold and collapse inwardly as shown in Fig. 5 thereby assuming a shape which facilitates its insertion and withdrawal.

Withdrawal is also facilitated by the fact that the folding of the tampon permits air to pass thereby destroying partial vacuum in the cavity beyond the tampon which might interfere with its withdrawal.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the tampon is comprised of a single cell and the rubber band II which is connected to the proximal end thereof, is drawn out to collapse the tampon by a finger I! of the operator passed through the band.-

Other parts which are similar to those described in reference to Figs. 1 to 3 are indicated by the same reference numerals.

The tampon provides a ready means for applying radium dressings, radium needles or definite amounts of medicament in the form of ointment, paste, or diminutive suppositories, to the cervix or other parts to be treated, and also for collection of secretions, blood, or discharges, arising 40 therefrom may be absorbed by the sponge.

I claim:

A tampon comprising a hollow, resilient, tubular body, inclined at its distal end and divided by a partition into distal and proximal cells, the opening of each cell surrounded by aninwardly projecting flange, a flexible band integral with and extending across the proximal cell of the body, the band being bifurcated at its upper end whereby pull upon the band causes the upper wall of the tampon to'collapse and fold inwardly.

JOHN McVI'l'l'IE. 

